


Merry ZITmas

by ShadeSwift99



Category: Hermitcraft RPF
Genre: Christmas Fluff, Gen, enjoy this deviation from my usual style, merry ZITmas!, so anyway, that's it that's all there is it's all fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-29
Updated: 2020-12-29
Packaged: 2021-03-10 20:00:16
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,171
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28412793
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ShadeSwift99/pseuds/ShadeSwift99
Summary: Team ZIT throws a little holiday party in a cozy cabin in the Christmas district. Fun times are had by all! (except maybe the fox.)
Relationships: and lots of it! - Relationship, friendship only - Relationship
Comments: 14
Kudos: 62





	Merry ZITmas

**Author's Note:**

> I was working off a writing prompt and hand-writing in a notebook for this one, which are two things I don't normally do. I also don't usually write pure fluff without at least a little bit of pain, but I managed to beat back the angst goblin for the duration of this one, so I hope you like a little (late) Christmas cheer! The prompt was "Wild animal loose indoors". Enjoy!

The wind stung Zedaph’s cheeks and caught in his throat, making it hard to breathe as he stomped through the snow in the Christmas District. The icy flakes matted his hair into a cold, wet lump that was making him feel decidedly un-cheery, despite the time of year. He would be more than happy to finally reach his destination - not just because of the bright warmth of the distant cabin, but also because that cabin contained one smugly festive Tangotek just waiting for an earful from Zed.

“Nooo, we can’t have the party at one of our bases, he says,” Zed muttered as he put his head down and picked up the pace. “We have to drag Zed out into a blizzard, he says. It’ll be perfect, he says.” Perfectly frigid, more like. Zed chuckled, already slotting that comment into his list of complaints for Tango. Of course, he wasn’t actually angry, not really - but would it even be Christmas without a little complaining? By this point, teasing Tango for his all-out Christmas spirit was as much of a tradition as his bunny slippers.

Zedaph finally reached the stairs of the little cabin, grabbing on to the railing to keep from slipping on the icy planks. Through the frosty window he could already see Impulse hanging tinsel on a tree, trying hard to keep his balance as he reached for the higher branches. Faint, muffled Christmas music drifted from a jukebox by the fire.

He walked up to the door and rang the bell. The sudden noise made Impulse jump and set the tree teetering, threatening to fall until he steadied it just in time. Zedaph was already laughing and apologising when Tango opened the door and bundled him inside.

“You look snowier than Melvin the mecha-snowman!” Tango exclaimed, handing him a towel.

“And I feel twice as cold!” Zed halfheartedly rubbed the towel over his hair, utterly failing to dislodge the icy clumps of snow.

“Here, let me help.” Tango moved around him and started poking and prodding at his hair.

“I’m not sure if I want your - ow!”

“Sorry! You could brush this stuff sometimes, you know.”

“You’re one to talk, Sir Hathead,” Zedaph snickered.

“Hey, it’s -”

“Festive, yeah, I know. I’m just teasing you; those antlers are more than worth the smooshed-up hair!”

“Maybe we should close the door?” Impulse called over, still tending to the tree. “You’re going to let something in if you keep it open.”

Zed pulled the door shut, glad to stop the warmth and the spicy smell of spruce from leaking out of the cabin. He pulled away from Tango’s relentless combing and headed to the kitchen for a mug of apple cider.

His favourite mug was already laid out on the counter, and helped himself to the contents of the pot gently steaming on the stove.  _ How thoughtful of them! ….Wait a minute. _ He paused briefly in his pouring and sniffed the air suspiciously. While the kitchen was still spotless as the day it was built, the faint scent of burning hung in the air…

“Guys, I thought I told you to wait for me to start the cooking!” He poked his head back through the doorway to catch his friends exchanging guilty glances.

“Well, you were late,” Impulse started, “and Tango decided we needed sugar cookies -”

“Impulse didn’t set a timer!”

“Why would  _ I _ set a timer if  _ you _ were the one making them!”

“Hey, that’s -” Tango waved his hands helplessly. “That’s...actually a fair point, but still!”

“It’s okay,” Zed laughed. “We’ve got enough ingredients still to make more.”

“That can wait.” Tango gestured to a chair by the fire, piled high with cushions. “You only just got here, come sit for a while.”

Impulse placed the last ornament on the tree and started rolling up his sleeves. “Yes, you rest, I can start baking the -”

“No, no, you sit right back down.” Tango planted his hands on his hips, his sweater jingling indignantly. “You’re taking a break for once in your life, if I have to tie you down with tinsel to make you stay put!”

Impulse gave a hearty laugh and flopped down on the couch. “Fine, fine, but I’m going to do twice as much tomorrow to make up for it!”

Tango sighed. “I mean, what did I expect, getting you building materials as a gift…”

Zedaph took his mug and settled down into the cushions. He hadn’t realized until now how  _ tired _ he was, and this was just the thing he needed. Spending all his time in that cave full of clanking contraptions, new ideas and plans running through his mind at every turn...he loved it, but it could get a little overwhelming at times. Here, with his friends gathered around him like family, he could finally sit back and just relax in the -

Zed jumped in surprise, almost sloshing his drink out of its mug.  _ Did that cushion just  _ _ move _ _? _ He reached behind himself tentatively, and jumped clear out of his seat this time when the  _ not-cushion _ bit his finger.

“Oh goodness, I think we did let something in!” he cried.

The fox did  _ not _ appreciate being woken from its nap. It lept from the chair and started skittering around the room in a frenzy. Impulse pulled his feet up onto the couch as the fox raced past, searching for an exit. Tango got a face full of fluffy fox tail as it flew by, too stunned to move out of the way.

“What do we do?” Zed shouted.

“Why did you bring that thing in here!”  
“I didn’t bring it, it brung itself!”

“Just open the door!” Impulse didn’t wait for a response before jumping up and doing it himself. The panicked critter shot out the opening like a bolt from a crossbow and disappeared into the snow.

Impulse shut the door, calmly and deliberately. “Well,” he said. “There’s that dealt with.”

A few ticks of uncertain silence passed. Then, as synchronized as if they’d planned it, all three of them burst into uncontrollable laughter.

“The look on your  _ face _ !” Impulse wheezed, waving his hand toward Zedaph.

“Speak for yourself!” Zed giggled, cider entirely forgotten.

“Oh well, so much for relaxing…” Tango chuckled, wiping his eyes. “Maybe we should just go make cookies after all.”

“Yeah, because that’ll go  _ so _ much better,” Impulse quipped.

Zedaph’s laughter quieted down, but his heart still felt full to bursting. The sight of his friends’ smiles filled it even more. With so many unexpected turns, it may not be the Christmas they’d planned, but it was a memory he would hold close in all its beautiful chaos. Yes, this was already turning out to be more than worth the snowy walk.

“Well, at least it’s basically impossible for these to turn out worse than the last batch.” Tango flipped through the recipe book, bracing himself for the next sugar cookie attempt.

Zed smiled softly to himself. “With you guys? I’m sure it will turn out just fine.”

**Author's Note:**

> I debated posting this one at all, since I don't think it's up to my usual standards, but I figured some people might enjoy it. Feel free to let me know if you did!


End file.
